 Is a houseboat vacation rental on your family travel bucket list? Houseboating was always something that caught my attention, with dreams of relaxing on the water and watching the sunset from the boat deck. In Virginia, there’s no better place for houseboating than beautiful Smith Mountain Lake. Often called the “Jewel of the Blue Ridge,” Smith Mountain Lake has over 500 miles of shoreline, and combines the best of lake life with the scenic backdrop of the Blue Ridge mountains. It’s the ultimate family bonding experience when you are all together on a 39’ boat for a few days! Here’s what I discovered during our 3-day houseboating adventure on Smith Mountain Lake, including 6 helpful tips for first-time houseboaters.
*This post was updated April, 2023
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 For the first summer in a long time, my family will probably just be taking some mini-vacations, and we are looking forward to exploring our beautiful home state of Virginia. Although I have lived in this state for over 20+ years, there are many places and activities that I have yet to try. So, with the help of the “Virginia is for Lovers” website, I have put together 10 fun things to do in Virginia this summer. I’m excited to have a go-to list so that when my teenagers have a few days free here and there, we can take off and try something new.
 Everyone knows that DC is a popular tourist town, filled with history and wonderful free museums. When the weather is nice, there are more options for outdoor enthusiasts or tourists looking for something a bit more adventurous. Next time you visit DC, consider adding one of these fun, outdoor activities for a different perspective of our nation’s capital.
*This post was updated April, 2021  Who would have guessed that the highlight of my summer was zip lining almost half a mile across a valley about 275 feet above the ground with nothing but air and mountain views around me. This is probably one of the most fun family outings we have taken on vacation, and I would highly recommend adding this to a family bucket list. We were at Wears Valley Zipline Adventures in the mountains of Tennessee not too far from Pigeon Forge and the Great Smoky Mountains. The original course has 4 lines that run over 3100 feet, and for many people, that is plenty. But it is the last 3 lines they recently added that are the most amazing, with some of the longest and highest in the region. Also, the guides were super friendly and helpful, and always there with encouraging words, especially for those of us who had never zip lined before. You can purchase a combo ticket which also included whitewater rafting, which we also did the day prior to zip lining. Tickets are a bit pricey but it was definitely worth it for creating some wonderful family memories.
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